The Hand of the Lord Who Serves and Feeds Us based on John 13:1-17, 31b-35 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Last Wednesday I reminded you that the Lord has the everything in His hands. He has the whole world and all of creation in His hands. The Bible passage from John 13 shows us that Jesus was not afraid to use His hands to serve His disciples. He amazed His student followers by doing an unusual thing with His hands. He put a towel around His waist. He took a basin of water and washed the feet of His student followers. How often do we think of greatness in terms of service, rather than in terms of success and power? By this action, Jesus showed that true greatness in God’s kingdom involves humble service.

Would you like to stoop down and wash the feet of your guests that came to visit you? I still remember going to a National Lutheran youth gathering in Fort Collins, CO, when I was a high school student. We had a Vicar training to be a pastor lead one of our Bible studies at the youth gathering. He was one of our adult leaders. He read this account from John 13 in the Bible to us. Then he had us wash the feet of a friend and have that friend wash our feet. We laughed as we did that. I have not washed anyone else’s feet since that time over 40 years ago. Foot washing is rare in our day, so we might miss how surprising and meaningful this simple act was for the student disciples of Jesus.

One by one Jesus washed the feet of His followers and dried them with a towel. John 13:6–11 tells us, “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’”

Simon Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus let him know that if he refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet, then Peter could no longer be one of His student disciples. Simon Peter then said that Jesus might as well wash his hands and his head while He was washing his feet. In those days people wore sandals and walked on dirt paths, so their feet would get dusty and dirty. Because of this, washing feet was not only common but expected before a meal.

Jesus then talked about His followers being clean, except for one. Here Jesus was not only talking about physical cleanliness, but pointing to the need for the forgiveness of sins. As Jesus was washing the feet of His student followers, He knew exactly who would betray Him—one of His closest twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot. Washing the feet of Judas Iscariot had to have been a huge challenge for Jesus. He knew what Judas would do in a short period of time. He knew that Judas would betray Him with a kiss.

Jesus came to show the people of the world the great love of God. He regularly showed God’s love in action as He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind and cast out demons. He showed God’s love in action by stooping down to wash the feet of His followers. He gave them the new command to love one another. That command still needs to be put into practice today. People need to show more love and compassion for one another. Christians especially need to show love and compassion for one another. The people of the world today need love and compassion more than ever before.

Jesus continues to serve us today. He serves us His true body and true blood in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion still today. The same Jesus who had his body beaten and bruised serves us today. The same Jesus who shed His innocent and precious blood serves us today. The same Jesus who died and arose for us and for our salvation serves us today. The same Jesus who washed His followers’ feet serves us today. No greater love has ever been shown in this world than the love of Jesus in His humble service and in His sacrificial death for us.

Sadly, we sometimes fail to love one another. But the One who gave His life on the cross as an atoning sacrifice continues to forgive and love each one of us. We do not always show compassion to those around us. But the One who died in our place on the cross continues to pardon and show compassion to us. The One who has the whole universe in His hands still lowers Himself to serve us His very body and blood that was given and shed for us around 2000 years ago. Since Jesus has first loved us, we are moved to love one another in His holy name. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.